Banff Moves Ahead With Herbicide Program for Invasive Weed Control

Council agreed to move ahead with a plan that would allow the Town of Banff to use herbicides on town-owned land to control invasive weeds. 

Town staff told council that pulling weeds by hand and using machines is no longer working, and that Parks Canada now expects a formal weed control plan before it approves major projects in the townsite. 

The town’s proposed approach is for an “Integrated Pest Management Plan,” that would map where invasive weeds are spreading on town land, then treat those areas each year as part of a long-term program. 

What funding is on the table

Council approved $20,000 in 2026 to hire a consultant to map problem areas and build a yearly work plan. 

The motion also includes $10,000 a year in 2027 and $10,400 in 2028 to carry out treatments and keep tracking new infestations.

Why this came up now

Staff said that Parks Canada wants a formal weed control plan in place as part of its review process for major projects. Mayor Corrie DiManno said the town needs to meet a Parks Canada condition tied to projects at the recreation grounds and the Nancy Pauw Bridge.

“We need to fulfill that condition and make good on being able to have our beautiful rec grounds and beautiful Nancy Pauw pedestrian bridge,” DiManno said. 

The town report notes that herbicides are already used by other land managers inside the park. “Herbicides are used extensively by Parks Canada, Fortis, ATCO, AltaLink and other landowners in the Park,” the document says, calling them “a safe, accepted, and essential tool” for managing invasive weeds.

Could this extend to private property?

Town documents say the work could also set the stage for future rules that apply beyond town-owned land, including private property. It says Parks Canada has raised concerns about invasive weeds on private land. 

The provincial Weed Control Act does not apply to the Town of Banff because it is within the national park. 

Outside national parks in Alberta, the Weed Control Act generally requires landowners to destroy “prohibited noxious” weeds and control harmful weeds. It also gives municipalities tools to enforce weed control, including issuing notices and recovering costs if the work is not done. 

Vote and next steps

Councillors unanimously carried the recommendation to include the Integrated Pest Management Plan funding request in the 2026 to 2028 operating budget.